


The Twenty - third Anniversary

by allysonandrews1982 (FonzFan82)



Series: New Neighbors [3]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-26
Updated: 2014-12-03
Packaged: 2018-02-22 18:48:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2518055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FonzFan82/pseuds/allysonandrews1982
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Koko and Mona Whitehorse are celebrating their twenty - third anniversary and having a hard choice on what to do on their celebration. How will they celebrate it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note: This actually was the first story I did featuring Mona and Koko. I hope you like this intro on them and if you enjoy it, check out the others I have on them. Happy reading!

The following week was the Whitehores' twenty – third wedding anniversary, so they thought a night out would be a good idea to be alone.

"Mona, our twenty – third wedding anniversary is coming up next Thursday. What should we do? Any ideas?" Koko asked his wife.

"I'd love to go back to Arizona for a spell and see our old friends. Let's do that, Koko. Haven't been there for a while," Mona suggested.

Koko loved the idea and agreed.

They were in bed that night, talking, so the lights were on and they were playing a Billy Joel CD on their CD player. He was singing You May Be Right, so they had it on full blast. There was a knock on the door, so Koko answered the door in robe and slippers. The neighbor was there to complain that Billy Joel was too loud.

"Sir, we're here to let you know that the music's too loud. We're trying to sleep," the neighbor said.

"Sorry about that. We'll turn it down a little," Koko said.

"You're new in town, aren't you? I see we have not met. Arizona, is that right?" the neighbor asked.

"Yes, sir, that's correct," Koko told the neighbor.

Mona was by his side.

"We're Native American," she told their neighbor.

"That's interesting to have Native Americans for neighbors for a change. I'm Bryan Jones," he said, shaking their hands.

"Koko and Mona Whitehorse," Koko said.

"Nice to meet you folks. Why did you choose Milwaukee?" Bryan Jones asked.

He had the look of a college student, Mona thought.

"We're not really sure ourselves, either, Mr. Jones, but one tourist in the Grand Canyon was saying that Milwaukee was a good place to live, so we talked about it and thought we should give it a shot, so here we are," Koko said.

"You mean to tell me you two lived in the Grand Canyon." Bryan asked, getting interested.

"Yes. Koko was a park ranger," Mona said.

"Interesting. You will have to tell us more about this some other time. I had a hard day at school," Bryan said.

They said good – bye before nice to meet yous and Koko closed the door behind the kid.

"He sounds like a nice kid, Mona, don't you think?" Koko asked.

"He sure does. Why don't we invite him for supper one night?" Mona asked.

"Great idea. They are always inviting us; why not invite them for a change? Get a change of Grand Canyon cooking?" Mona asked.

"Yeah. I have an idea, Mona. You and Bryan could trade recipes," he said.

"I'm happy with mine, but it's an idea. I will mention it to him it was your idea when I see him again," Mona told her husband when they were under the covers once again that night.


	2. Chapter 2

Mona and Koko were in their house, reading the newspaper they just picked up on their front door. Mona was reading the entertainment section while he was reading the sport section.

"Koko, may we go on a trip back home to Grand Canyon for a while?" Mona asked.

"Why, sweetheart?" Koko asked his wife.

"Listen to this, Koko. This is why I want to go back home for a while. Tony Hillerman is coming to Grand Canyon for a book tour! I want to be there when he's out there. It's for a new book he just wrote. We have to be there when he's book signing! You know I never miss any of those book tours he does, Koko. Can you talk to the boss about going back to Grand Canyon? Please?" Mona asked.

"I'll see what I can do, Mona. I'll talk to Sam and see if he'll let me loose for a while. When is Tony Hillerman coming to Grand Canyon? I need the dates so I can talk to Fonzie," Koko said.

"The paper is saying October 15th - 30th Tony Hillerman's going to be out there. I want to get an autograph. You know we never miss any of those tours, Koko. We can even visit your park ranger friends while I can visit my friends at the same time if Mr. Fonzarelli lets you off the hook for a while," Mona said.

"All right, Mona. I'll talk to him," Koko said, taking the dates from his wife.

He cut the dates out of the newspaper so he would remember the dates so he could talk to Sam about going back home to Grand Canyon.

The college kid Koko and Mona met, Bryan, Koko saw him in the garden.

"Hello, Bryan," Koko said.

"Hello, Koko," Bryan said.

"Would you like to do us a favor?" Koko asked.

"What?" Bryan asked.

"Would you mind getting our mail and newspapers for us? We're going back home to the Grand Canyon," Koko asked.

"Sure," Bryan said.

"Thank you, Bryan. I'd appreciate it," he said and walked across the street to his house.

"Any luck with the boss, Koko?" Mona asked her husband when he walked back into the house.

"No, Mona. I will do that tomorrow. Bryan will look after our mail and newspapers," Koko said.

"I think that's a good idea," Mona said.

"I told Bryan we appreciate it," Koko told her.

The next morning came by pretty fast.

Koko and the boss were in the garage.

"Hi, Mr. Whitehorse," the boss, Sam Thompson said.

Koko said hello.

"Go ahead," Sam told Koko.

"Sam, this book tour is a big deal to my wife. She'll be disappointed if she doesn't go this year. We go every time Tony Hillerman has a book tour, no matter where it is held. She gets an autograph every time we go to one of these book tours," Koko said.

"May I ask who Tony Hillerman is before I give you an okay to this thing in Grand Canyon?" Sam asked.

"Tony Hillerman is a Navajo mystery writer, Sam. He is my wife's favorite mystery writer of all - time," Koko said.

"A Navajo mystery writer, huh? I'll be short - handed on the garage if I let you free to do this thing," Sam said. "

Do I get to go with my wife this time or not?" Koko asked.

"I'm still thinking about it, Koko."

"Well, Sam, do I get to go or not?" Koko asked.

"No, Koko. I won't have anyone help me with the garage if I let you go to that tour," Sam said.

"And you're the only person I have hired," Sam added.

"Does that mean my wife will have to go alone this year? I go with her on every tour. It's a big deal, Sam. We don't want to miss a chance on seeing our old friends in Grand Canyon. I would like to see my park ranger friends," Koko said.

"This time, no," Sam said.

He left Sam's garage, angry at Sam and didn't say good - bye to Sam.

"How did it go with Mr. Thompson, Koko?" she asked.

"Take a look at my face, Mona. That should answer your question," he said in a tone of voice that nobody liked.

"You mean he didn't let you off the hook from the garage? That's a shame. Are you still letting me go alone even if you can't go yourself?" Mona asked.

"I don't know. We'll work something out."


	3. Chapter 3

The next day arrived in Milwaukee. Koko showed up to work at the garage. He didn't say one word to Sam at all that day because he was still angry about not going to Grand Canyon with Mona.

"Hello, Koko," Sam said.

There was no answer.

"You still mad at me about not going to your book tour?" Sam asked him.

Koko didn't say a thing to Sam and went to work on a car that had been there for a day or two.

"Silent treatment, eh? I don't like people who give me the silent treatment," Sam told Koko.

"Nobody around here gives me the silent treatment," Sam said to Koko.

Koko listened to the telephone conversation Sam was saying about him.

"Koko happens to be a Native American. He's happily married to a woman he loves for how many years?" Sam asked.

"Forty."

"I'm sure you and your wife and children will like it here in Milwaukee. Welcome to Milwaukee, Koko," Bryan said.

"Thank you, Bryan."

"I didn't catch your last name."

"Whitehorse."

"That's easy to say," Bryan said.

"Tell me about you when we get together again, Mr. Whitehorse," Bryan said.

Bryan saw Koko working on the Toyota.

"Is Sam letting you go to that book tour yet?" Bryan asked.

"Still no. My wife and I really want to go," Koko said.

"I'll talk to him about that," Bryan said.

"Thanks, Bryan. I'm still not talking to him," Koko said.

"Sam doesn't like that," Bryan said.

"He said so to me about that this morning," Koko said.

"Sam's a good guy, Koko. You'll see for yourself when you know him a bit better," Bryan told him.

Bryan asked where Sam was.

"He said he's in his office," Koko said.

"Thanks. I know where it is."

Bryan knocked on Sam's office door. Sam let his best friend into the office and shut the door behind Bryan.

"Hi, Bryan," Sam said.

"I just talked to Koko, Sam. He's still angry at you for not letting him go to that book tour in Grand Canyon," Bryan said.

"Let him be angry, Bryan. What am I going to do if I don't have anyone to work on those cars for me if he does go to that stupid book tour and the cars keep coming in when I don't have nobody to help me?" Sam asked.

"Sam, he and his wife have other friends they want to see out in Grand Canyon before they met us. They were happy out there in Arizona before they moved here, doing their own jobs," Bryan said.

"And doing their own Native American things that we don't understand, Bryan."

"Right, Sam," Bryan said.

"I'm trying to help you think about letting Koko go out to Grand Canyon," Bryan said.

"The answer is still no, Bryan. This is a busy season for cars now. He needs to understand that as a new mechanic," Sam pointed out to Bryan.

"Why don't you tell him that yourself?" Bryan asked.

They both walked out of the office and walked to where the Toyota was standing and Koko was working. The hood was up, so they could see Koko working on the truck.

"Koko, Sam has something to tell you," Bryan said.

Koko stayed with the truck and stopped working for a minute or two so he could listen to what Sam had to say.

"Am I fired, Sam?" Koko asked.

"No, you're still on the job," Sam said.

"Just listen to what Sam has to tell you," Bryan told him.

"Bryan, I still need you, so stick around," Sam said to his friend.

So Richie stuck around.

"Koko, I thought about that book tour you wanted so badly wanted to go to," Sam said.

"Do I get to go or not?" Koko asked.

"Well, we're getting to that answer now, Koko. What I'm going to tell you the answer of that is still no. As a new mechanic of my garage, this is about the busiest season of all seasons of the year now, so I need you at the moment, so you'll have to pass on the book tour. I hope you understand this from now on," Sam said.

"What about Mona? Can she still go, even if I can't? This whole book tour thing is always a big deal, Sam. I never miss a book tour without my wife. Who wants to miss a huge crowd getting autographs and stuff?" Koko asked Sam.

"You'll have to miss this one," Sam said.


	4. Chapter 4

Mona answered the phone on the second ring.

"Our first phone call since we moved here, Koko. Isn't that exciting?" she asked.

"Yes, it is, sweetheart. Who is it for?" Koko wanted to know.

"For you, dear. Your boss," Mona said.

"Good. He got my message," Koko said, taking the phone from his wife.

"Hello?" Koko said when he got on the line.

"Koko, is there anything wrong at the garage?" Sam wanted to know after they both said hello.

"Nothing's wrong, Sam. Nothing at all. I was calling because I wanted to know if I could take some time off next week because it's my twenty - third wedding anniversary on Thursday. My wife and I were talking about what we should do and we were wanting to go back home to the Grand Canyon for a few days for our anniversary. Is that all right with you?" Koko asked.

Sam thought about it for a few minutes before answering the question.

"There won't be anybody at the garage if we're both gone, Mr. Whitehorse, but since it's your anniversary, go ahead and go back home for a week. One week and you're back on the job," Sam said.

"Thank you, Sam. You're a good man," Koko said, and they both said good - bye and hung up the phone.

"What did your boss say about our anniversary, sweetheart?" Mona asked him.

"He said we get one week back home," Koko said.

"That's nice of him. We'll leave first thing tomorrow morning, bright and early," she said.

"A week early won't hurt," Koko said.

"It'll give us more time to spend with old friends," Mona said.

"It will. Six o'clock is a good time to start the drive," Koko said.

"Six a.m. it is," she agreed.

"I want to see my ranger friends, too," Koko said.

"We'll do that. They're good people," she agreed.

They were up before six the next morning and packed the night before for their trip home to the Grand Canyon. They waited until nine o'clock to call their closest friend in the Grand Canyon to let him know they were coming out for a week because of their anniversary.

"All right, Mona, Koko. It'll be great to see you again," their friend, Joseph Canfield said.

They got off the cell phone and Joseph Canfield spread the word to the town that the Whitehorses were on their way. The word spread pretty fast. They were ready to see them come into town when they arrived, so it would be a welcome committee.


End file.
